You Have Bewitched Me, Movie and Book: The Evolution of Pride and Prejudice

Among the plethora of gossip-lading, dowry-discussing, and thought-provoking romantic classics, Pride and Prejudice, written by Jane Austen in 1813, undeniably remains a genre hallmark, still appealing to readers today. Its 2005 movie adaptation starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen, also titled Pride & Prejudice, stands out as an incredibly swoon-worthy period piece filled with romantic imagery and slow-burn romance. Upon first glance, reconciling these attributes may seem difficult; both the original and the adaptation contain the same settings, characters, basic plot, and title, but is that where the resemblance stops? 

First and foremost, Pride and Prejudice follows the experience of the witty 20-year-old Elizabeth Bennet and her four sisters in the 19th-century English countryside, where her mother and sisters obsess about the prospect of finding husbands while being relatively poor. The central plot revolves around Elizabeth’s relationship with Fitzwilliam Darcy, a socially inept but intelligent and wealthy nobleman, and the problems that arise while both struggle to overcome their pride and disdain for the other’s social classes and preconceived notions. 

The adaptation stays accurate to the original book by neither adding characters nor majorly altering the plot; however, much of the book’s plot is excluded from the movie in the interest of condensing the intricacies of the book into a two-hour film. Thus, several side characters, such as Louisa Hurst and Mrs. Phillips, were cut completely from the film, and a few compelling side plots are not explored; for instance, Elizabeth’s sister Lydia’s elopement is given significantly less focus. This practice of cutting a less essential plot for an adaptation is nothing new, but one should expect much less nuance and relationship development when watching the movie, which does not necessarily negatively impact the audience experience. While many viewers (especially loyal fans of the novel) may get caught up in the minute missing details, this effort to convert a long book into a film that is easy to follow overall improves the viewing experience in the form of a film.

Not only are side characters given significantly less focus in the movie, supposedly to maintain the love story as the focal point, but the main and side characters’ traits are slightly altered. In the book, Elizabeth, although she is still passionate and independent, always remains respectful towards her meddling mother and inactive father and compassionate towards her sisters amidst her social and emotional crises. However, she is depicted as having much less self-control in terms of her temper in the movie, going so far as to yell at her parents when they attempt to marry her off to keep their house in the family. Additionally, a key difference in the movie’s characterization is the portrayal of Elizabeth’s relationship with Jane, her older sister, who is her biggest confidant and supporter in the book. She hides pieces of her drama with Mr. Darcy from Jane and acts much less empathetic towards Jane’s trepidation with her love interest, Mr. Bingley, which is another plot line less shown in the adaptation. Moreover, the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, as they are seen as slightly more affectionate than in the book. The novel highlights how the couple strongly disagrees on the necessity of securing husbands early, and this alteration somewhat undermines a message of the book: the tension between society's marital expectations for young women and their ability to fully grow up and mature.

A final major discrepancy lies in the mood of the book versus the movie. As one may expect, the movie takes a much more romantic approach beyond just the plot. Throughout the film, the characters are seen in picturesque settings that evoke the feeling of love, all with swelling instrumental tracks playing around them. While romance is certainly a major aspect of the book, it is often more understated; the romantic tension is created by the characters, not the setting. However, this is by no means a downgrade, just a difference. Generally speaking, audiences are probably initially attracted to Pride & Prejudice because of its idyllic and escapist qualities, whether that be from exposure to a clip of Mr. Darcy explaining how “ardently he loves and admires [Elizabeth]” or a snapshot of the gorgeous castle the ball scene takes place in. In contrast, readers may be interested in reading Pride and Prejudice for not only a compelling romance, but also Austen’s captivating diction, comedy, nuance, self-awareness, social critique, and world-building. After all, who doesn’t adore a confession of love while being caught in a torrential rainstorm, hiding underneath a stunning gazebo. While the difference in emphasis remains apparent, the film does not terrifically preclude the book’s messages of feminism and opposing societal mudslinging, although romance is the movie’s focus. In fact, the adaptation makes those important themes clear while also allowing them to be more digestible to a wide range of viewers, which simplifying the plot accomplishes. It inspires audiences to read the book for themselves, a task which may seem too difficult given the 19th-century language or not engaging enough to the masses. 

Both versions of Pride and Prejudice are extremely enjoyable and culturally significant, and while they do have several key differences, this does not impede the pieces from serving their purpose. Pride and Prejudice, the movie, speaks to the value of adapting books to fit the needs of an updated audience while simultaneously exposing people to classic works of literature.